GK-TV to produce ‘Children’s Hour’

Story was also a bigscreen pic and now set for West End

Graham King’s television shingle is set to give a smallscreen adaptation to classic film and legit tale “The Children’s Hour.”

Written by playwright Lillian Hellman, “The Children’s Hour” was a 1961 bigscreen pic directed by William Wyler, starring Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine.

Story was also recently commissioned as a theatrical production on London’s West End, with Keira Knightley andandand”Mad Men” actress Elisabeth Moss toplining. Play is set to open in February.

Set at a private school, “The Children’s Hour” is a drama centering on an angry student who makes up malicious and unsubstantiated lies about two female administrators, setting forth a ripple effect that threatens the women’s careers, relationships and lives.

Shingle recently partnered with pay cabler Starz to produce Medieval drama “Camelot,” which is set to preem early next year.

King, firmly established in the theatrical world as a producer and financier, formed his TV division last November. Intention was to focus on programming with strong international appeal in an effort to capitalize on the growing appetite at U.S. nets for international co-production and co-financing deals.

The major nets have been increasingly open to picking up series and miniseries produced outside the U.S. and striking co-production deals with foreign entities.

No network has signed on yet for the two-hour telepic and negotiations are underway to find a writer. Casting is also underway.